How to fill this big empty weekend


Weekends are traditionally a time for outings.

We usually fill our two precious days of leisure with trips to the shops, lunches with friends, visits to relations – or perhaps even a drive out to a beauty spot.

But apart from our one permitted walk, it’s innings for everyone this weekend. So, how do we get through these two long, empty days? I have a few suggestions.


Grow things
I’m growing things as we speak – and not just toenails and chin hair, either. I found some old seeds in the kitchen drawer and planted them in pots on the window sill. If your kitchen drawer doesn’t happen to contain old seeds, you can also plant bits of ginger, garlic cloves, dried tomato seeds and plenty of other things. Just google “growing plants from vegetable scraps”. Personally I’m not expecting much success from my own pots of weedy soil. I’ll probably end up nurturing nettles and dandelions and thinning out the few stray tomato plants that happen to emerge. But who cares – it’s that transition from bare earth to green seedling that lifts the spirits and reminds us that time will pass and things will change.


Cook things
With so many items in short supply in the shops, this is a great opportunity to become a creative cook. Go through your cupboards and root out those half-packets of bulgur wheat, sesame seeds and almond flakes and then combine them with leftover vegetables and out-of-code herbs and spices (it's just their opinion). Who knows what amazing dishes you might invent?


Make things
A friend of mine has an auto-immune disease and has received the NHS Letter of Doom (her words). So she’s now facing a 12-week lockdown and is not even allowed into her own garden. But she’s a dab hand at arts and crafts and is producing home-made cards for those friends who are celebrating a birthday in the next three months. It’s a win:win situation because it saves her money and provides an outlet for her creativity. And no matter how rubbishy the end result, she will still earn acclaim for her resourcefulness and stoicism. (I’m sure her cards will be brilliant. She might be reading this).


Clean things
It’s spring cleaning season but with commercial products running low, make your own cleaning fluids from common household items. There are plenty of suggestions on the internet involving vinegar, bicarb etc. My Mum went through a phase of cleaning everything in her house with vinegar and newspaper. Her windows were sparkling, but her home smelt like a chip shop. 


Play things
Brian and Robbie have downloaded a new game called Dig It and are both completely engrossed. Meanwhile, Josie in Berlin has rediscovered The Sims, a computer game she loved as a teenager. And I’ve been ordering skeleton crossword and kakuro puzzle books online. Now’s the time to find new games or revisit old ones. And while the weather remains dry we should play some garden games as well. These will provide multiple rewards in the form of fresh air, exercise and perhaps even a rare glimpse of a neighbour.


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